Jack Lewis Baillot's Blog, page 47

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

 This site has been taken over by Jack's characters. Our Author threatened to leave us while she goes on a holiday so we have locked her up and are holding her for ransom. This is where you can come in.
 The ransom is Short Stories. Write and send in a short story before or on March 12th. If we get enough entries we will free Jack before the 14th, when she is due to leave on her holiday. We (Jack's characters) will read the entries and pick a winner. We even have a prize since it is unlikely you'd like us to send you Jack. The winner will be sent a signed copy of Jack's newest book, Abolished Impracticality. Signed by Jack, not us....well, maybe the Haphazard crew and Jack. 
 Entries do not have to be a certain length or about a certain subject or genre, we will take anything you like writing.
 As stated, the more entries the better chance we will free Jack so help spread the word. 
 And, while Jack is indisposed, us characters will be carrying out her posts for her. They will all be below this post which will stay up until Jack is returned to the real world.
 Sent from the, Broken Blade Boys Haphazard Crew and Loyalty...(whatever they are.)
 Send all stories to jacklewisbaillot@gmail,com

Striker

 Wherein Jack has been kidnapped

 This is Striker. I am one of, who Jack calls, the Broken Blade Boys. I'm still not sure what to make of this term, but oh well. I am here because Jack has decided to take a month off of writing and go on what she calls a holiday. She plans on abandoning myself and my fellow, comrades, and going on some adventure of her own. Normally this wouldn't be a problem. She has done so before. However, my comrades and I are in the middle of a not pleasant situation, therefore we have decided to kidnap her.
 I will admit this plan was carried out very rashly. It was mostly brought to fulfillment by Trystan, who said we had to show Jack we were being serious when we threatened her. (I wasn't being serious, but I guess this goes to show one should never doubt the word of an Elf.) But now that we've gone through with it and have actually kidnapped her, we don't know what to do with her. It is all good, keeping an Author in her natural habitat, standing behind her with drawn swords, and ordering her to write. But take her out of that....we don't even know what to feed her.
 The only thing we can come up with holding her for ransom. Because that is what one does with kidnap...ees, correct? And, even though it doesn't seem like all of you have joined her minion army, a good many of you seem to have. Therefore, that makes her...I don't know what that makes her, because she is Jack and if one attempts to understand what Jack is one ends up with a headache. But, she is surely something to all of you. (Although, I did see her last cliff hangers so you might not even want her back.) Either way, here are our ransom terms.

 We will be holding a short story ransom. We are characters, so we don't care about all of the technical stuff, though if the stories were about Dragons that would be great because Dragons are...well, Dragons. Who doesn't like Dragons?
 Anyways, they can be any length, but they must be sent in before the 12th of March. (Not a whole lot of time, but she wants to be released before her plane leaves and she said she promised to reveal the second Loyalty title on the 14th.)
 My fellow comrades and I will read the stories and pick a winner. (That's what happens in a short story...thing..right?) We will even have a prize, because I doubt you want us to send Jack to your house as a reward. (Don't worry, if you agree to our ransom terms we will release her. If not, we will just keep her locked up. Either way...)

 Meanwhile, myself and my comrades will be running this...blog. (That is such a stupid name.) We will even be answering your comments, so you can still comment. And we will be trying to remember to feed Jack. But please, all of you other Authors out there...what DO you all eat?! If I'd known keeping an Author was this hard I would have shoved Trystan down a well and left him.

 That is all. Please send all ransom entries to Jack's email. The prize will be announced once we get done fixing things up around here.

 And since we aren't Jack, we aren't going to carry on her tradition of using quotes for titles. Sorry. You can title your comments if you want. We don't care.

 STRIKER

"Hail his Majesty, the scourge of my life."

 Wherein Jack is a bit between giddy and nervous
 I was going to post yesterday. I started one, at least five times. But I was sick, and I used that feeling to being too miserable to get out of bed to finish reading The Runaway King. (For those keeping record, I finished both books in three days, the second one the day before the third one came out. I was rather proud of myself and went down to buy book three today  but I live in a very unimaginative town which believes these books aren't all that brilliant and not worth their money to get book three into the book store on the release date. I considered pulling an Evil Overlord order and demanding their heads but changed my mind and sulk out glowering and got my revenge by buying it on Amazon. I now must await its arrival. Impatiently.)
 February is almost over. It's been a nice month overall. I got a lot written and edited and didn't get behind on my school, including Math. I should get a cookie for that, and some pie, and a holiday. Which, I will be getting the holiday! (And here is where I lead up to my upcoming adventures.) Artist of Mine, Treskie, and her family has allowed me the honour of invading their home the last two weeks of March. I could not turn down the chance for creating havoc and other natural disasters in the home of my new friends and accepted the invitation. I was a good girl about it though, and I made sure my editing was done before the arrival date. (Done way ahead of time.) Now, the next few weeks before I go, I am going to do everything humanly possible to get caught up on school so I don't have to do it while there. (This won't be hard, except for the Math area.)
 This means all writing will be mostly put on hold. The Broken blade boys are already protesting loudly to this and threatening to kidnap me. Which will not work because I am going even if I have to hitchhike the whole way there. (I even bought a new book to take with me on the plane, so I am pretty much set.)
 Since this has become something of a long, pointless ramble I shall not bother with trying to make sense of it. It fits better this way, because I don't make much sense in anything. 
 This is my 440th post, not an all out amazing number, but I like how nice and even it looks. When I get to 500 I shall have a pie. 
 For those who ordered your Evil Overlord to eat the lollipop....I ate it. But not because I was ordered to do so, because I AM an Evil Overlord and I don't take orders. But it was very good, so those who ordered have good taste, but know this now moves you to the bottom of my minion list. I shall now only consider you if you are yellow and short.
 Speaking of world domination, I was able to fill in the general spot. One of my friends, whom I always thought would me a good general, brought his argument to me on Sunday about why he'd be perfect. (It involved us going over generals and second-in-commands who didn't turn traitor to their ruler. There aren't many. While we were talking about them his dad said we sounded like a couple of nerds. Which would be insulting if that wasn't exactly what we are.)
 Has anyone else noticed that Ben Barnes has pretty much dropped off the planet since making Dorian Gray. (Didn't see it, just know he played in it.) Maybe a band of Aliens needed a new actor.
 Okay, that is all. I should be working on a school paper right now, not talking about nothing. Let me know if any of you are yellow and small, I'm getting closer to world domination now that I've got myself a general and I'm taking applications for my minion army. I will consider you even if you're not small and yellow if you are a good aim. After all, I let my general in even though we had a few ify issues, but he can aim, and that is the most important. 
 Quote is from The False Prince. 
 Allons-y!

"I'm trying to shed tears for Lassie and I can't and I am ashamed."

 Wherein Jack talks about Wizards

 I set out to make a new goal in life, to only read two or three books at a time. This was huge for me, as I read about five or six at once. I was doing well to. I was almost down to only two at a time, but then I went to the library, and I found wonderful self-published books, and there were new books coming out I've been dying to get my hands on, so I ditched that idea. (For those who should be rushing to the book stores on the 25th like me, The Shadow Throne is out in FIVE days! I've talked about the first two books in this series before, The False Prince and The Runaway King. I am re-reading both before the last book is out. And if you've not read the first two, go and do so now and then read the third. Your Evil Overlord commands you. The books are nice sized, but they are fast paced so don't worry about lack of time.)

 Anyways, orders aside.

 Awhile back, I in passing mentioned I put Wizards into the Blade series. I didn't go into a lot of detail, because I had other things happening at the time, don't ask me what things, but they were things. "Don't question the thing."

 When I first got the Wizard idea I wasn't sure what they were going to turn out as. I didn't want to put magic in the series, it would feel too much like a scapegoat. "Something bad has happened, they can't find something, fix it with magic." But without magic, what exactly would a Wizard do? Unsure, I did what I always do when I get stuck on the plot - I wrote and left the characters to tell me what they were going to be like when I met them. It worked.

 The Wizards are the children of an Elf and a Human. Not all half-blood children end up as Wizards, somethings they look like an Elf, sometimes a Human, sometimes a Wizard. The difference between them is Wizards all have long beards, they are very hermit like. They have a huge hall where they all gather for important meetings, but they all live far from each other in little huts and rarely get together. As the Wizard in the book puts it, “Hm, you kind of have a point. I guess we could as easily be called hermits – but it is not as frightening. Do you know how many people avoid me just because I have the title Wizard in front of my name?”
 The have the same long life of the Elves, but not the good looks. (They look like you'd expect a Wizard, bushy eyebrows, shaggy hair, beards, robes, and pointy hats.) They wear robes and hats which match the colour of their hair. They carry both a staff and a wand - again, neither is magical, but if they get into fights or just get mad, they like to hit and poke people with them.
 The Wizards are historians. They keep a lot of the old records on Nightshade's history and have a HUGE library in their big meeting house. They aren't helpful though. They've come to the belief that a lot of the other races are stupid and don't help them out all that much when they could use the help. They don't share the old histories  unless they are forced to. They believe the histories should be saved, but only shared if someone has earned the right to that knowledge. (They're kind of annoying and a bit stuck up, but also have this almost lovable side which makes it kind of hard to really dislike them.)
 They all have ancient names but they don't like anyone but fellow Wizards to know them, so they give themselves simpler names to use when they meet someone who isn't a Wizard. (The Wizard who has the most parts in book two tells the boys his name is Aaron.) Also, it is required that Wizard is always put in front of their name. (Wizard Aaron. He is never just Aaron.)
 In spite of their distant coolness, they do care about the Humans, they just have trouble showing it. They get along best with the Elves, or used to, when Nightshade was united.

 And that is them! I had a lot of fun with them in book two and am hoping they make more appearances. They're not the sort to sit the rest of the series out, so I am very certain they will come back at least once more, likely even more than that.

 I now shall leave, as I have to get back to The False Prince. (I told someone I was going to finish it and book two before I got book three in five days. She gave me an, "It isn't possible," look and I almost did an Anakin.

 Quote is from Psych, I won't say more because it is the new season and I don't want to give away spoilers.

 Allons-y!!

"It doesn't do wood!" "That's a bit rubbish." "Oi! Don't diss the sonic!"

 Wherein Jack didn't mean to be so mean

 Have you ever got the urge to have a lollipop? And you go around for days thinking, "I can't have a lollipop, not with all that bad for me stuff in it." But you just can't get them out of your head and you remember how you used to have them as a kid, and they just sound so good. And while you are going through these conflicting emotions, you stumbled across a thing of FREE lollipops - the big ones. And they are FREE. And you can't help yourself, so you get one. But before you eat it, you remember all of the things inside it - all of the corn syrup, and sugar, and who knows what else. And you feel bad for not staying strong and resisting the sugary delicacy, so you don't eat it. Then it sits around your house for weeks, as you try and decide what to do with it. Because, it is food, and you feel bad throwing food out. But it is food that is not good for you, and you'd kind of feel bad putting that into your body. But it was FREE and it's been ages since you've had a lollipop, and you don't normally eat things that aren't healthy, so maybe it wouldn't matter this once. But, there is your tooth ache, and you know how sugar only makes it hurt more....and your conflicting emotions have now got ten times worse. That's where I am right now. And, to make it worse, it is a strawberries and CREAM lollipop. Oh yeah. Now you want one, don't you?

 Okay, enough about lollipops.

 I've been writing this post for the past hour and keep deleting it. I just don't know what to talk about. But, my dear Mycroft, who's blog can be found HERE is having a writer's conference and a giveaway. And I've never done a writer's conference, even one online, and it sounds fun even though I have little clue what to do. Also, I wanted to tell you all about the giveaway, because it is a fun one. You can find it HERE!!!

 So, like I said, I am probably going to get this all wrong, but the conference is on characters. I even did an interview with Anne - rather, Elias did. I will let you know when it is up so you can read it. But, doing the interview, and picking Elias, and all the talk on characters - well, you can see where this is going. Kind of.

 Elias is the villain in the Blade books. I used to not put a lot of thought into villains. They were just there to be mean to the hero so he would have a reason to be cool, what other point in life did they need? They were bad because, they were bad. But when I started to talk to Anne - she and I are book buddies and help each other out of messes - she had me give some more thought to villains. Because if there a villain without a point in life, the story has a better chance of not going anywhere.

 When I started getting to know the Blade books better, and all of Oleander, I intended for Elias to be one of those ruthless villains. I wanted a really bad guy, who was so bitter at everyone nothing was going to get in his way of ruining the lives of those around him - the whole world in fact, because he was that bitter. (A Sauron bad guy.) But Elias was fast to set me straight.

 He wasn't the bitter and going to blow up the world type. He had a reason for invading Nightshade, and the more I found out about it the sadder I got - but you know, I'm just his Author, why should he care if he makes me want to cry? I was a little concerned over this new twist though. Could I really have a villain who, wasn't so much of a villain after all?
 But I think that is the point. Very few villains are bad for no reason. They were hurt, lost things, or maybe they just are selfish and don't care about others, but they have to have purpose. They have to be as alive as the hero.

 There is nothing wrong with a mean villain who never turns good, so long as he has a believable purpose, and he's not just there because the hero has to have an enemy.

 I've also started to notice villains are turning out to be more of the good guy then the good guy. (Loki for example.) The villain who has lost so much he is cared for more than the hero who is trying to save him from taking over the world with his Alien army. And while I do like villains like this - it adds more to them - I've noticed that having a Sauron kind of villain is now kind of being shunned. Villains aren't supposed to look bad anymore, they should be handsome and have tragic pasts.

 I do see why having a villain who doesn't look it is being used. It adds a new twist, but I don't think there is anything wrong with using a bad guy who looks bad. (This is used a lot in Fantasy. Think of Tash in Narnia. He is scary looking, when he walked past Jill and Eustice the sun seemed to go out. He was not someone one would mistake for a hero.) And while these villains might not be popular right now, I think they still have their place in stories and books. (I plan to talk about this more later with some of my Oleander posts.)

 What about you? Do you like the Loki villains more, or the Darth Vader, Tash, Sauron villains?

 Quote is from Doctor Who

 Allons-y! 

"River, hug Amy." "Why?" "Because I'm busy."

 Wherein Jack doesn't want to write.

 I think I have reasons for not wanting to write. But I should, because I have links! And links are always good. But I have a school paper due and I've lost it, so I won't stay long to talk about the links, so you will just have to click on them while I dig through spider infested documents and mentally kick myself in the hopes of jarring my memory.
 The big giveaway I was part of is over now, but a lot of the Authors put their ebooks for only 99 cents! And you should go and check the list because there are some really good ones. I have two of mine on sell as well. If you go to Jessica Greyson's site you can get a list of all the Authors. http://jessicagreysonauthor.blogspot..... I've read a lot of the books which are on sell, they are really wonderful.
 I also decided to set up another blog for my book and movie reviews because I couldn't find time to fit them in with all of the book related posts I've been doing and am planning on doing once I can get some things straightened out. I really want to start working on some world building posts, and I think I am close to being able to do that. I just have to finish getting things all mapped out for Oleander. It's been a lot of fun, and I reached the halfway point in the second Blade book Friday, so I am VERY excited about that. But anyways, here is the link to my reviews. CLICK ME!!!!
 Quote is from Doctor Who, the 11th. He and Amy and Rory looked so young in their first season! Like three cute little kids playing imaginary games together - until, you know.

 Allons-y!!

"Since I will never see you again there is something I want to tell you." "What?" "Sherlock is a girl's name."

 Wherein Jack says Happy Valentine's Day.

 I got out of Math class the other day very annoyed with confusing problems. I bought my book, it is just one of those work books which are good for nothing when you're done with them so I plan to burn mine the end of the semester while laughing insanely. But I couldn't the other day because I still need it. I couldn't think of any other way to make myself feel better till I got out to my car and remembered that scene in Meet the Robinsons where the frogs throw the tiny hat in the trunk of their car with the shovel. I didn't have a shovel, but I popped the trunk and tossed my book in, then slammed the lid with the evilest grin I could manage - which wasn't hard.
 Today is Valentine's Day!
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I was going to write a sweet, romantic scene for all of you, but all the romantic characters I have are in the middle of plot spoilers so I couldn't do it. Maybe next year. This year I have....SNIPPETS! And cookies and pie, but it is kind of hard to share that so John and Sammy and I shall be eating that and thinking of all of you.
 Mimicking dog sounds, Lukeas had learned, was Hester's way of saying faster. Her mother had told Lukeas she loved watching dogs run whenever they passed through villages, and to her barking meant running fast because dogs barked. Lukeas thought it was cute and if he hadn't been twenty-six he would have resorted to that means of communication himself. However, he figured the rest of the world would have problems if a man started barking whenever he wanted to request things to move faster. Second Blade book
“You're going to burn the whole Amorrian camp, just like that?” Clis demanded. “I've heard of some stupid plans in my lifetime, but I think this one wins.”“He's a hermit, what do you expect from someone who's spent his life in caves?” Golon asked, amused. Second Loyalty Book
 “You're identical?” he asked.“No, we just look-”“Completely alike because-”“We stole each others clothes this morning.” The Broken Blade
Yawning, Aden rubbed his eyes, blinked three more times, and yawned again. “Without breakfast? I never run away on an empty stomach.” Third Haphazard Book
 “Be nice!” Cordon rebuked him, then to Stefan, “We don't want to kill you, honest.”“At least not all of you,” Stefan replied.Lachlan giggled. “I want you alive!”“Thank you.” Stefan turned back to Golon. “The prince wants me alive,” he gloated. Second Loyalty Book
 “My name is Ryder-Adair.”“Hm, well, I won't hold it against you.” Second Blade Book
 He didn't know what to say. This wasn't Magda, after all. If he said the wrong thing she might not smile and keep talking. She might shove him into the fountain or something. Second Loyalty Book
 “How can you be cousins with an Elf?”“Talent,” BenArgon declared, “but since you clearly lack it then don't attempt to understand it, you might hurt something.”It suddenly became almost impossible to bite back the rise of laughter in his throat. Khen's face twisted with a mixture of horror and anger and the Commander's beard twitched, but no other expression showed itself.“I must ask that you do not anger my best Ranger,” he murmured, though he didn't sound upset by it.“Aw, he's your best?” BenArgon asked. “I'm sorry.”“Sorry?” Khen demanded.“Yes. If you're the best than the Corps must be in pretty bad shape.”Trystan slapped a hand over BenArgon's mouth, stopping whatever might have come out next. “Please pardon my friend,” he ask the Commander, “he suffers from the aliment of not knowing when to shut up.”BenArgon's muffled protests came from behind Trystan's hand. Second Blade Book
 “I bet I can get more rabbits than you,” BenArgon whispered, coming up beside Ryder. Ryder-Adair was still impressed by how silently he could move, his feet gliding over the ground with no staff or anything to assist him.“There is no way,” Ryder-Adair scoffed. He patted his bow as BenArgon pulled out one of his well balanced daggers.“Is that a challenge?” Argon demanded.“Looser has to gut the winners kill?” Ryder replied rather than answer the question.“Better hope your dagger is sharp then!”Second Blade Book
 “Really,” Wizard Aaron huffed.“Well that is-”“Kind of disappointing.”“You wanted him to turn you into a frog?”Second Blade Book
 “No one knows why, either,” he continued. “I just can't make sense of letters.”Trying to cheer him up, BenArgon beamed him a smile. “Don't worry, I can't read or write either.”(To clarify, BenArgon is blind.)Second Blade Book
 “Besides, if we spend it, just the two of us, I don't have to share the tarts with Tony.”“I'm taking the tarts with me,” Tony threatened from where he sat at the table, peeling potatoes.Third Haphazard Book

“Is that my blanket?” Geoffrey asked when Juliana closed the door and got their attention.“It is.” Magda pulled part of it up over her mouth and smiled.Second Loyalty Book
“You have to remember what you are fighting for,” he said as he tugged. “If you forget that out there, when you see their numbers or when fear hits you, then you will die. Remember your friends, remember that little prince. Don't forget your Magda. Fight for them, they will give you a reason to live.”“And what about you?” Stefan asked, almost smiling as he spoke. It would be easy to live for his friends, to live in the hopes he would see Magda again someday.“What about me?” Oakes demanded. He tied the last strap and stood back, not looking directly at Stefan.“What do you have to fight and live for?”Second Loyalty Book
 “I've got myself lost coming and going,” he murmured under his breath. How would he explain this to Hogan? Could he blame it on his wounded head? He might be able to make that convincing since it was still bandaged. But would the Captain want him around anymore if he couldn't even find his way out of Buckingham Palace?Abolished Impracticality


 Happy Valentine's Day to you all!

Quote is from Sherlock.

 Allons-y!

"Allons-y, Alonso!"

 Wherein Jack should be clever but is too tired for it
 And, on top of that, my internet is glitchy. 
 I woke up this morning to the sound of birds singing and the sun coming in through my window. It sounded and looked like spring so I pulled out a springy shirt - which was blue - which naturally lead me to fishing around for more blue clothing. I added my 10th Doctor shoes and was only lacking a sonic screw driver. "What makes it sonic?" "It makes a nose." *Knocks it against the door* "See? Sonic." By nine I was all ready to go to the park and have a nice walk - but the winter came back with cold and wind and clouds so I had to give up that brilliant idea and hide under my fuzzy blanket with my mini heater. Whoever invented mini heaters is a genus.
 As I mentioned in my last post, I completed the second edit of the second Loyalty book. I am not really sure what to say about it. I will be revealing the title next month, on the 14th. I am trying to get it more organized, maybe come up with some fun ways to reveal it, but I will have to give it some more thought.
 I was surprised at how the book ended. It was a NaNo book, so when I started this edit I knew some things would have to go. During NaNo, writers get desperate trying to reach the word count. We put in silly plot twists just to keep the story going and plan on "fixing it later." I did this, of course. One of the twists I put in was bringing Magda and Stefan's fathers back into the story, their supposedly dead fathers. And they were part of a secret organization trying to find a good ruler. Because nothing gives you a word count boast like bringing back two dead guys and giving them a secret mission they've been working on for years while their families assume they're dead. I thought I could revise that bit, but the more I looked the more I realized it had to go. So I chopped it, and just wrote, and the story kept working itself out. Then bad things happened.
 I've had book three planned out for a few years, ever since seeing The Last Legion. (If you haven't seen that movie watch it, it is good. Really good.) I thought book three was going to take place two years after book two. I KNEW how book two was going to end, but the closer I got to that ending I started to realize that it couldn't complete the way I thought it was going to. There wasn't enough time to resolve everything. And then some more things happened, a lot I didn't see coming till the last chapter, and it only got worse....and it ended it a not so nice cliff hanger. I feel rather rotten about that bit. I do end in cliff hangers sometimes....Abolished....but I try to make them where they aren't horrible ones. The only one which was supposed to have one was Abolished. Everything else had milder ones, where it just left things open for the next book. Because we all love a nice cliff hanger sometimes, right?  So, this is my advanced apology. It just kind of happened, and it left me in shock over it, and I am going to do my best to make it kinder. And hopefully I shan't give everyone cause to chase me down with flaming torches.
 I now have to stop typing. It is very late and I want to sleep before morning comes. Because sometimes I like sleep.
 Quote is again from Doctor Who. I even know why he used it, which I think makes me even geekier because I get a movie reference in a movie reference. 
 Allons-y! And Bonne Nuit, Lune. (And I shall give a cookie to anyone who gets that reference without looking it up.) 

"Oi! Watch it, Spaceman!" "Oi! Watch it, Earth girl!"

 Wherein Jack talks about plots
 Since working on the different books for the Oleander series - which I suppose is what it would be called if I was to lump all the different serieses into one series - I've been once again reminded how bad I am with plots. That is probably not something an Author should openly admit, but if it wasn't for the characters I would probably have stopped writing a long while back. A lot of my original stories have the same plots, re-used, which is why editing has taken me longer on some than others.
 When I got the idea for the Oleander series I knew something would have to change. I have seven series planned that fit into this world. Some of the plots were easy to figure out, like the NaNo book I did two years back. Some plots I've been working on for years, The Legend of the Blade. And some have all ready been written, The Loyalty Trilogy. But others, I had no idea what the plots would be, just the characters. I felt a little lost about how to go about it until school last week, when my teacher began talking about the Hero's Quest Plot.
 The Hero's Quest is one of those original plots and is seen everywhere. Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Narnia, I am sure you can keep adding. There are different ways to do it, but essentially it boils down to the hero starts out at his home, he leaves for some reason and faces dangers, he "dies and comes back to life" - this doesn't have to be a literal death, but a point in the story were he gives up and then renews the fight. My teacher uses the example of Marlin from Finding Nemo where he is in the whale's mouth with Dori and he cannot get out. he gives up and floats to the bottom, then is spit out and is given new hope. And lastly, the hero returns home having changed the world or himself and comes back a new person. Frodo in The Lord of the Rings for example. She even has a list of the characters typically seen in the Hero's Quest - such as the hero, the mentor, the side kick, the unassuming wise person. (Examples, Luke, Obi-Wan, Hans, and Yoda.)
 I've done a version of this before, most likely all story tellers have. I used it for the Blade books, though I didn't know it at the time. However, after learning about it I wanted to try it. I want to attempt to add in all of the characters which are seen, not just a few of them like I did with the Blade books. I want to write a full out Hero's Quest and with the missing plots now seemed like the perfect chance. That might sound a little ambitious. But that is kind of what writing is, challenging oneself. Herge did it when he wrote The Casafiore Emerald, The Adventures of Tintin. He wanted to write a story in which nothing happened, but was still exciting. It is fun to think up challenges and then see if they can be pulled off. (Like never giving the hero a name: Doctor or Tintin. Or, in the case of Tintin, writing a whole series where he is a bit illusive and mysterious but still finding ways to connect the reader to him. I've kind of wanted to try that myself, but I don't know if I would be able to pull it off.)
 That said, I have all of the series roughly planned and the characters named. I even have the order set in which they all take place and which should be published first. And lastly....I finished the second editing of the second Loyalty book! And I will be revealing the title next month! but more on that with my next post. 
 Also don't forget - I forget to mention it - there is a lovely giveaway going on right now! You can take part with the giveaway thingy on my sidebar. I've read a lot of the books which are being sent out, and they are wonderful, so you should definitely join in.
 Quote is from Doctor Who, 10.5 and Donna.
 Allons-y!

"You fought her off with a water pistol? I bloody love you!"

 Wherein Jack is so close

 It was below zero today, so cold the air was freezing and there were those bitty snowflakes that like to make you think they are real snow but they are just frozen air. Anyone from like, Russia and Alaska will know what I'm talking about. The rest of you....maybe not, but just trust me. I'm convinced that is what it is, and I'm your evil overlord so I am right.
So, anyways, school was called off today - no, not because of the snow. We've had to still go to school in worse weather, this is the Winter Wasteland after all. It's been the first time in awhile I've not had to leave the house AT ALL, so I put on as many over sized, baggy clothes as I could fine - I spent all day wearing two layers - and crashed out by the fire. I worked on my book, but after I was done I did nothing more than watch Doctor Who with my mum. I love watching with her, she takes everything in stride. "Oh, that is the Doctor's daughter, made from his hand...okay." "Oh, he used to be a dad...okay." "Oh, his granddaughter named the TARDIS...okay." The only thing that got her was the Vashta Nerada. But really, who wasn't creeped out by those?  But, with so much time to just lay about and think, I was able to work out some of the problems for Oleander, the new world I made up....you know, I mentioned it not too far back. I am going to start doing posts on all the different worlds, even if the books won't be out right as I am talking about the kingdom. But, if you are like me, you like reading more when you know what the world is like. I kind of, dislike being tossed into a new world and not know my way around. A bit of a heads up is nice.
 I have one chapter left in the second round of the next Loyalty book. Once I have it written I will be revealing the title and the thing I discovered while writing today which left me banging my head on the wall. I should make an official reveal date...I'll think one up and let you all know on Monday.
 Today, however, now that I've got all that said I have a new character reveal! And this one I am VERY excited about because he is my favourite in the Blade books. Yes, favourite. Not ashamed. Okay, a little ashamed, but oh well. I like him.
 Striker. (I even love his name, and it isn't taken from where you probably think it is taken from. I actually kind of stole it from a fellow I used to know. I'd have asked if I still knew him.)
 Striker's age is a bit unknown. It is assumed he is in his late teens, though there are times when the other boys are left believing he is thirty. He is tall, a bit taller than Trystan, and his hair is dark red. His eyes are dark green. Striker comes into the story waking up on a farm. From all appearances  he is a farm boy, helping bring in the crops, but something is wrong. Striker knows he is no farmer, but he doesn't know how he knows that - he also cannot remember his name or anything about his past. He travels from one village to another, hoping someone will know who he is and he finally ends up in the village where the other boys live. They are the ones who name him, after he punches one of the twins. They allow him to stay with them. Striker likes to pretend he belongs in the village, but deep down he is never really at peace. He wants to know who he really is and where he came from and - more importantly - if he has a family. Sometimes, his memories will try and come back, but it always ends with him blacking out and waking up with a bad headache. Striker has a kind of mixed personality, probably because of not knowing who he is. He has a sense of humor and carries out pranks with the twins. He likes to be around the other boys, though there are times he would rather be left alone. He has a temper, but usually he keeps it  hidden. He knows how to fight, though for the most part is peaceful. He does stand up for one of the other boys though who is always being bullied. He hates to seen injustice.
 Striker is extremely skilled with the sword. It is the weapon he uses most, though sometimes he will use a bow.
 And now, the snippet. This one needs a bit of a lead up. The little girl lives in the village, she comes into the inn where Striker is working but never tells him her name, making him try and guess it. “It's-”Jaspart clapped a hand over his mouth so hard Ryder-Adair almost fell backwards off his seat. He was so stunned he wasn't able to extract himself from Jaspart's hand for a moment or two, long enough for Jespert to hiss, “She doesn't want Striker to know her name yet, so keep your mouth shut.”Pulling free from Jaspart's hold, Ryder-Adair scowled at both twins as the little girl came over to their table. If she hadn't been smiling up at him he would have crashed his mug over Jaspart's head.“Hello,” he said, smiling at her back. She said nothing to him but solemnly turned to Striker and stared at him until the young man squirmed. Only then did she hold up her hands to him.“Wha-” Striker threw Ryder-Adair a panicked glance and Ryder-Adair only grinned at him.“She wants to sit with you,” he said.The twins were all but giggling at Striker's bright red face. Ryder-Adair didn't think he'd do it, he expected Striker to jump up and run away. He looked as if he were going to. He sat that way for what felt like a full minute before bending over and scooping up the little girl. Without another look at any of them, he nestled her on his lap, allowing her to rest her head on his chest.The snicker which had been in the back of Ryder-Adair's throat died as he watched. Striker held the little girl as if he'd been holding children his whole life. He didn't look at all awkward with her in his arms, and he almost looked completely happy – something Ryder-Adair hadn't seen on his face once. He wondered if there might be some explanation about his past in it, but he couldn't imagine what it might be.
 And now, the best part!

 Striker!!!

 Quote is from Doctor Who

 Allons-y!